MUMBAI: The Mumbai Festival at the Gateway of India, which is being presented by exclusively MTV Networks India in association with BET Jazz, the US Department of State will see the greatest living exponents of the art of Jazz - Al Jarreau, George Duke, Ravi Coltrane, and Earl Klugh along with members of The Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, perform live as part of the closing ceremony of the fest on 16 January, 2005.

The concert will be telecast on MTV Networks recently launched channel in India - VH1.

MTV Networks India MD Alex Kuruvilla said, "Music knows no boundaries. MTV Networks India is proud to be associated with the historic performances by American Jazz giants and to be a part of bringing together people and countries. It is only fitting that legendary jazz artistes like Al Jarreau, George Duke, Ravi Coltrane and Earl Klugh along with members of the Thelonious Monk Institute will be part of the closing ceremony of The Mumbai Festival, to be held at a significant, historical landmark - the legendary Gateway of India."

Encouraging interaction between Indian and American cultures, Secretary of State Colin Powel, announced the India tour of these American greats to the world press on 14 December, 2004 in Washington.

Air India (the official Travel Partner for the event) director-public relations Jitender Bhargava said, "Air-India, which has been an integral part of Mumbai city's social and cultural life, takes pride in its association with the Jazz Masters concert being organised as part of the Mumbai Festival."

The performance by the Jazz greats on 16 January will be the grand finale of the Mumbai Festival, a unique event designed to place India’s most vibrant metropolis on the world map as a leading Cultural Tourism destination. The 10-day festival will be inaugurated by the Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and the Union Minister of State for Tourism, Renuka Choudhury on 7 January, 2005.